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W. 0. WHITE.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 1|. 1916.

1 ,321 ,689. Patented N 0v. 11, 19 19 2 SHEETSHEET I.

\. Walter C. Willie.

W. 0. WHITE. TRAIN PIPE COUPLING, APPLICATION FILED OCT- H. I9l6.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

' Pittsburgh, in the county of fAl-leghen To all whom it mag concern UNITED oFFIoE.

WALTER G. F-WH1ITE, OE PIZDTSBUBG-HgwBENNELYLVANIA.

nmmmsmrn COUBLING.

Specifinationinf Lettrsdatent. 5; n,;il ate11;ted' N 11 1919,

Application filedwctober 11,1916; Serial No 125,040.

'iThe-draftzyoke "may besupported in any Be it known-that Ij'VVA-LTER C." WV'HITE, a: '-"We1l---kn0 vn manner and I have illustrated citizen of the-Unitedi-States-; residing at-transverse plates 80 inserted through the and vyoke andxha-ving -their ends resting upon the State of-Pennsylvania have-invente "cer hangers 53,-a spring 8lbeing disposed withtain new and useful lmprovementsin=' iii'the yoke between said plates so thatthe Train-PipeGonplings; of'whichthe followg' yokewill beyieIdably-suppOrted, but the ing is a specification.

pulling-forceexertedthrough the car cou- This invention] relates to trainpipe--cou=- -pling or-draW-head will be transmitted to plings and has special-deference townieans' the-=-spri11g--'and' -thence through the front for supportingtheatrain;pipesandthe-train" plate 80 and rthe' hangers to-"the car body. pipe coupler-head;-the-fobjectbeing to pe The train pipe coupler head 1 is suspended mit the train pipes to-accommodate thenr below thecar coupler head 49 by a shelf 55 selves to the shiftingpositions" ofthercar which project'swforwardly -from the lower couplings inrounding curves-While*a-"trailv endsof-the'gnide rods 50, theupper ends is in motion or inthe act of-cdupling or unof sald rods heingsecured to a brace 51 coupling carsonfronranyother causeshift Whmh 'iext'ends longitudinally of the draw ing laterally)" -The-*invention also -seeks to head 49 anda's Tl gldly secured to thebottom provide-means wherebythe-trai11+pipe1cou=:' of'thesame'by straps orsimilar clamping a ing a dilferent: form ofithe rearcabntmentt towoperate: themsignals. plate.

a coupling With parts of the suspending d section, the :abutment ;plates by :whichnthegcsignals.i

plingheads will be-maintained i-n'closemon devices 523 -;:.l1he -=rear end of the brace 51 tact so tha-tthe joints will not*leak'notwith abuts against the frontend of thedraft yoke standing the lost motion or play-in the car 5 1' and lS-fOlIHQd on an arc so that it may couplings. The"invention-also seeksto'prowr rock upon-the front end of the yoke as the vide means for-suspend-ing--the train pipes redrawheadwmoves laterally from time to and the trainpipecoupling head in such ."tlnlefrhe shelf 55 is 'i urther supported by manner that-assembling o f the parts will he side braces 56 Which-extend upward from facilitated. :Jtthetreaimportion of theshelfand are se- In the accompanyingdrawings: ncnre'd togthe'ahrace 51=-and to the straps or Figure 1 is a'side' 'elevatio11 of n 'car cousui@clamps 52, asshown and as will be readily plingand of my improvedg-trainwplpe 'coun l-nnderstood: [Elle-1311MB pipe; coupler head 1 pling suspended therefrom; is provided at 1ts rearend W1th longitudinal Fi 2 i rbottom plan view of theacaizii'aarms 8-awh1ch areslotted, asshown at 9 in Fig.3, so as to engageoverpins upon a pipe carrier 58I Wl1lCl1 is :constructed to slidably engage and fitibetWeen-the guide rods 50, as the trainrpipes and theirmountingss 'indicat beareadilynunderstood-pn reference to ing in dotted-lines thezmanner incxwhic Figfl'i flhercoup'ler-lieadlie-provided with they are permitted to shift so as tmrespond: longibudlnalichan berswhich receivethe front tothe movements of the-cancoupling; 5-1. endsot thestrain: pipes 5,16 and 7 and these Fig. 4 is an inverted enlargedhorizontal:.itrainigplpes; arezrconstructed of vmetal and section taken centrally through thei'ztraintmcarrytherair'fortoperating the brakeasteam pipeiwuplingh d; p erriotheranedium: forh'eatingthe cars, and

Fig. 5 is a viewishowin'g, in elevatlon-and a suitable agent:forrioperating the train aThesignal-s may be operated by compressed air or may be operated by electricity and the upper-train pipe 7 may house filliGlBGtlllCdlfCflblG or1- conductor for current The lowest pipe, fH-IWhlChilOELI-IlBS the steam fol-heating, may be In the drawings; the yrezEerencer-anumeral:rwproxtidedf: with a-drain cock to permit the vices in horizontalsection;

Figs. 3 and 3 =are botton1 PlaII V-IBWS' 0 rear I portions of the strain, .pipest: areusups ported;

.Fig. 6 1S adeta-ililperspectivewlewshower;

' 49-designates thecarpcoupling'oridraw head escape of the Water of condensation, as in- Which is pivotally I attached at its: rearyrend e Edicatedpconventionally at 100. to a draft yoke 54: which isslidablywsup- Thejwacoupler.yhead iswconstructed in its ported xuponlhangers 53rzwhich -are-=--s.eeureda tront Wall With-ports 12 in which are seated rigidlyv to and depend frornzlthe,camqbody ngaskets I 13 which are constructed with flanges over whichretainers l l,'secured wasted and the coupling will be operative at all times. The coupler head is'provided at its front end on one side with laterally extending plates or wings 32 between which a guiding arm or tongue 27 onan opposed coupler head passes, the said tongue being tapered to present a point 28 which will enterbetween th wings of the opposed head even though there be great variation in the height of the cars to-which the respective heads are attached and the engagement of the guiding arm or tongue withthe said wings Wlll effect the vertlcal movement necessary to bring the ports into perfect regis- I ter. In order to further guide the coupler heads into proper register, the inner surface of the guiding arm or tongue is provided with a laterally extending portion 29, from the outer end of which a longitudinal portion 80 extends forward and from the forward terminal of this longitudinal portion an obliquely disposed portion 31 extends. The outer side of this coupler head is provided with an obliquely disposed portion 22 at its forward extremity which is disposed at a slightly different angle from that given the surface 29 and from the outer edge of the said surface 22 an obliquely disposed portion 23 extends adapted to ride upon the surface 31 of the opposed coupler so. that the coupler heads will be directed laterally and the desired alinement of the ports and the binding of the heads effected. By disposing the surface 22 at a sharper angle than the surface29, the edge only of the outer surface 22 will bear upon the surface 29 when the heads are coupled, thus reducing theffrlctional resistance to free movement. Moreover, the point or extreme edge may move forward as theparts wear away so thatthe required engagement of the parts will be maintained. This operation is further-aided by the provision of an offset 24 havin a convex surface 26 u on the outer side of the coupler head immediately in rear of thesu'rface 23, and rearwardly convergby the extremity 28of the guidingarm. To facilitate the escape of snow and dirt that may tend to. collect between the coupler heads, I provide a vertical groove 31, the upper andlower ends of which are open, at the junction of the front wall 11 and the surface 29.

The train pipes 5, 6 and 7 are provided with'ball and socket joints 58 which permit universal movement between the sections of the train pipe so that they may remain in the central line of the draft gearing, notwithstanding a vertical or horizontal movement of the coupler head. The front ends of the several train pipes pass through the pipe carrier 58 and enter the rear ends of the chambers in the coupler head. The rear portions of the train pipes are supported by abutment plates, hangers or brackets 37 and 60 and in rear of the rear bracket 60, the pipes are bent laterally so as to extend to the opposite sides of the car body and there connect with the'usual train lines 82 which are now commonly mounted upon the car 1 body and are equipped at their forward ends with manually operated coupling heads and valves to permit flow of the fluids through the entire length of the train. By thus connecting my train pipes with the train lines now ordinarily provided, I am enabled to couple a car equipped with my improvements in a train not so equipped, but it is to be understood that it is the intention to equip all cars with my improvements so that the train pipes will be automatically and effectually coupled without requiring operators to pass between the cars or perform any other manual work which will endanger life or limb. The forward hanger or abutment plate 37 is secured to and depends from the car coupler by means of one of the clamps 52 which secure the brace 51 thereto and for this purpose the upper end of the abutment plate is carried forwardly, as at 16, and constructed with a depending flange so that it will hang over the under portion of the said 1 0 clamp and, consequently, be firmly secured to the car coupler when the said clamp is secured in place. As the clamp will fit closely between the body of the plate and the depending flange on the forwardly extending 105 portion 16, it isevident that the abutment plate cannot slip out or be accidentally detached therefrom. The rear abutment plate 60 is constructed with a similar hook-like member 17 at its upper end which receives 110 the under portion of a divided stra 18 which passes around the hangers 53 an below the draft yoke so as to secure the plate 60 to the said hangers in the same manner that the plate 37 is secured, the ends of the strap 18 being provided with perforated lugs which receive a clamping bolt 19, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The openings through the plates 37 and 60 which receive tion 37 so that it may rock on the front end of the draft yoke 54- as the draw head moves laterally from time to time.

The train lines 82, at the junctions thereof with the train pipes 5, 6 and 7 are supported loosely in hangers or brackets 62 on the bottom of the car body and are preferably slightly flexible so that they will possess more or less resiliency and, consequently, may spring laterally as the car coupling and the train pipes sway during travel of the train or in the acts of coupling or uncoupling.

By reference to the dotted lines in Fig. 2, it will be noted that during the travel of a train, the car coupling moves laterally to a considerable extent and that this movement causes the draft yoke 54 at times to impinge against the sides of the hangers 53. Inasmuch as the plate 37 is secured to the car coupling and the train pipe coupling head issuspended dir ctly below the car coupling, it is evident that this lateral movement will be transmitted to the forward portions of the train pipes and to the train pipe coupler head. The manner herein disclosed of arranging and supporting the train pipes permits them to flex laterally so that there will be no excessive bending strain thereon, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. It will also be understood that the pulling and pushing strain upon the car couplings effects longitudinal movement thereof, one purpose of the draft spring 81 being to compensate for this longitudinal shifting of the car couplings. This longitudinal shifting of the car couplings will also be transmitted to the train pipes and the train pipe coupler as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. To permit the train pipes to acc'onnnodate this longitudinal movement without being sub jected to a breaking compression or pulling strain, I provide telescoping joints 59 in the train pipes innnediately in advance of the abutment plate 60. These telescopic joints will permit longitudinal expansion or contraction of the train pipe so that the longitudinal movement of the car couplings will not be liable to cause uncoupling of the train pipes or such separation of the same as will permit leakage of any of the fluids. A collar or shoulder 36 is provided upon the air pipe 6 in advance of the abutment plate 37 and bears against said plate so that the said pipe will bear upon the said plate and furnish means whereby pressure may be ap plied to the coupler head to hold the head close to the opposed coupler head. Lock nuts 20 are provided upon the train pipes at the rear of the plate 37 to be turned home against a telescope sleeve to compress the packing in the telescope joints.

The construction of the telescoping joints 59 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. l, which shows the connection of the train pipe 6 with the coupler head. The train pipe terminates in a nozzle or tube 64 which enters the rear end of the chamber in the coupler head and has a sleeve 66 mounted thereon, the rear end of the said sleeve having a threaded engagement with a nut 67 which bears against the nut 68 which secures the socket member 69 of a ball joint 58 upon the nozzle 64. The front end of the sleeve 66 bears against a gasket which is fitted around the nozzle 64 and engages the bore of the chamber in the charm .ber in the train pipe coupler head. A

'washer 7 f is fitted around the sleeve in advance of and bears against the'gasket so as to receive the pressure of the fluid which escapes from the nozzle and flows into the space between the end of the nozzle and the wall of the coupler head chamber. It will be readily understood that the pressure of the fluid flowing through the train pipe is thus utilized to compress the gasket and form a fluid-tight joint. The construction thus far described sufiices for the joints 59, it being understood'that the coupler head is the equivalent of the outer section or member of the joint. In applying the joint to the coupler head, a follower 70 is mounted upon the sleeve or follower 66 and has a sliding engagement therewith but is constrained against rotation about the san'ie. The outer end of this follower 70 is engaged by a nut 71 which may rotate about the follower or sleeve 66 and bears against the nut 67 so that, when the nut 71 is rotated, the follower or sleeve 70 will be moved longitudinally to vary the tension of spring 72 which is coiled about the sleeve 66 between the front end of the follower 70 and the annular shoulder 7 3 formed in the coupler head. The said spring, by its expansion,

.holds the coupler head firmly against the opposed coupler head so that, notwithstanding, the slight play which is permitted in the car coupling heads, the train pipe coupler heads will form a tight joint at all times. The pressure exerted by the spring upon the follower 70 will be transmitted through the pipe to the collar 36 and will be, consequently, exerted upon the abutment plate 37, so that the movement of the car coupling in starting or stopping the train or in the operations of coupling or uncoupling will not cause a separation of the opposing trainpipe coupler heads. The relative movement between the car coupler and the draft rigging is accommodated in the telescoping joints 59. When the car couplings are under pulling strain, the knuckles of the same will be slightly separated from the inner walls of the respective coupler heads. The springs 72 force the train-pipecoupler heads together so as to maintain tight joints and prevent them separatingin unison with the slight separation of the car-coupler heads and the knuckles. The impact of the cars in coupling compresses the spring 72 which is then called upon to push forward the top and bottom trainpipes as well as the coupling head. In performing this work, the. spring pulls the pipes forward from the telescopic jointsthrough the flared openings of the abutment plate.

1 In'the arrangementillustrated in Fig. 1, the several train pipes pass through a solid abutment plate but it may sometimes be preferred and more convenient to employ an abutment plate 7 5 constructed as shown in Fig. 6.. This plate is provided with a hook-shaped upperportion 76, corresponding to the hook-shapedmembers 16 and 17, but is further constructed with a vertically disposed open ended slot receiving the carrier plates or sections 7 7 ,78 and 7 9, which have a tongue and groove engagement with e the side Walls of the slot so that they cannot fall forward or backward. The sections will have notches 84 in their meeting edges 7 hich are adapted to fit around and support erally be an electrical cable, may be carried steps, indicated at 40.

through a notch 85 formed in the edge of the plate and held therein by a keeper 86 of any convenient form which will bridge the.

notch and pass over the said cable.

The fluid pressure is fed into the train linesafter the coupler heads are properly coupled by manipulating rods 39 attached to the stems of the cut-ofl' valves 38 andextending to the side of'the car and supported preferably but not necessarily upon the car looselyv supported so that they may move freely. in all-directions and thereby accomo- .dateall movement of the train pipes, as

shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. The rods will, of course, extend to both sides of the car so that the valves may be manipulated from either side and universal joints, indicated at 139, are interposed in the lengths of the rods to avoid breaking of the same. As the train pipes are bowed and connected to ball joints and telescopic sleeves, the bowed portions of the pipes and the cut-out valves tend to swing to one side and out of alinem ent as movement is caused in the pipes by the shifting of the couplerheads. I utilize the rods 39 in holding the pipes properly centered .or alined.

The rod is mounted in a hanger 140 which may be suspended from any part of the car body but, for reasons of accessibility, Wlll generally be arranged on the sides of the car steps. An abutment 141 is provided on the The rods 39 are.

outer portion of the rod and a spring 1 12 is coiled around the rod between said abutment and the hanger, the spring tending to hold the pipe in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and returning it to such position from either position indicated by the dotted lines.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a car coupling, draft rigging, and hanger disposed adjacent the draft rigging, of spaced abutment plates secured to and'depending from the hanger and the car couphng respectively, a train pipe coupler head carried by the car coupling, and rigid train pipes connected with the train pipe coupler head and passing through the said abutment plates and provided with telescopic joints disposed between the said plates.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of train lines having flexible portions, means for loosely supporting said flexible portions, brackets having flared opemngs therethrough, and tram pipes extending loosely through said flared openings and having laterally disposed portions coupled to the flexible portions of the train lines.

3. In an ap )aratus for the purpose set forth, the com ination of a car coupling, a train pipe coupler head suspended from the car coupling, train pipes supported at their rear portions from the car coupler and constructed to accommodate longitudinal and lateral movement of the car coupling, one of said pipes having a telescopic engagement. with the train. pipe coupler head, and a spring coiled around said pipe within said head and holding said head against an opposed head.

4. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car coupler, a pipe carrier suspended from the forward end of the car coupler, an abutment plate secured to the rear portion of the car coupler, an abutment plate secured to a fixed support in the rear of the first-mentioned abutment plate, a train pipe coupler head connected to said pipe carrier, train pipes passing through said pipe carrier and connected to the train pipe coupler head, the rear portions of said pipes being loosely supported b the said abutment plates, telescopic joints in said pipes between the said abutment plates and bearing against the rear abutment plate, and a collar on one of said pipes bearing constantly against the front abutment plate.

5. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a car coupler, draft riggingto which the car coupler is pivoted, hangers adjacent the draft rigging, a longitudinal brace fitted against the under side of the car coupler and bearing against the front end of the draft rigging and hav-- ing a rocking engagement therewith,straps passed around the car coupler andthe brace to secure the brace to the car coupler, an abutment plate having a forwardly extend ing hook-shaped portion at its upper end said hook-shaped portionand the hangers, a I

train pipe coupler headsupported-from-the front end of the longitudinal braceyand train pipes connected with saidtrain pipe coupler head and extending therefrom and through said abutment plate;

6. Th combination with a car coupling,

draft rigging including a yoke, and hangers adjacent and supporting said yoke, of an abutment plate secured to and depending from the hangers, a train-pipe-coupler head carried by the car coupling, and train pipes connected with the train-pipe.-coupler head and passing through and bearing against the abutment plate.

7. The combination with a car coupling, and draft rigging, of a train-pipe-coupler head carried by the forward portion of the car coupling, an abutment plate depending from the rear portion of the car coupling adjacent the. draft rigging, train pipes connected with the train-pipe-coupler head and passing through said abutment plate, and a shoulder on one of the pipes bearing against the abutment plate.

8. The combination with a car coupling including a bar, and train line pipes, of a train-pipe-coupler head carried by the car coupling, a vertically movable pipe carrier attached to the rear of the train-pipe-ooupler head, a bracket secured to the bar in rear of said train pipe carrier and provided with laterally flared openings, and rigid train pipes connected with the train-pipecoupler head and extending loosely through said train pipe carrier and said flared openings and connecting with the train line pipes.

9. The combination of a car coupling, a pipe carrier suspended from the car coupling, an abutment plate depending from th rear end of the car coupling, a second abutment plate secured to a fixed support in rear of the first-mentioned abutment plate, a train-pipe coupler head connected to said pipe carrier, train pipes passing through said pipe carrier and connected to the train-pipe-coupler head, the rear portions of said pipes being supported by the abutment plates, two of the pipes being slidable through the front abutment plate, a shoulder on one of the pipes bearing against said plate, telescopic joints in the train pipes between the abutment plates and hearing against the rear abutment plate, and an expansion spring in the train pipe coupler head to move the trainpipes forwardly.

10. The combination of acar coupling, a

pipe carrier suspended from the 'car coupling, an abutmentplate depending from the rear end'of the car coupling, a second fitting over oneof the said straps, a rear abutment plate having a hook-shaped portion at its upper end, a strap passing around abutment *plate secured to a fixed support in rear of the first-mentioned abutmentplate, a train-pipe-coupler head connected to said pipe carrier, train pipes passing "through said pipe carrier and-connected to able through the front abutment plate, telescopic'joints in the train pipes between the abutment plates and bearing against the rear abutment plate, a shoulder on one of the train pipes bearing constantly against the front abutment plate, said pipe being telescopically connected with the train-pipecoupler head, and a spring on said pipe bearing against said head to hold said shoulder against the abutment plate and maintain a tight joint between opposed heads.

11. The combination of a car coupling, a train pip coupler head carried by the car coupling, metallic train pipes connecting said head with the train pipe lines of a car, an abutment plate depending from the car coupling and supporting said pipes, one of the pipes having a shoulder bearing against said abutment plate, and means on said train pipe coupler head exerting pressure 011 said plate to hold opposed train pipe coupler heads in close contact and compensate for movement between and within opposing car couplings.

12. The combination of a car coupling, a train-pipe-coupler head suspended therefrom, metallic train pipes supported from the rear portion of the car coupling and connected to the train-pipe-coupler head, and constructed to accommodate longitudinal and lateral movement of the pipes and of the car coupling, cut-oft valves in said pipes, and swinging operating rods connected to said valves and extending to and loosely held at the side of the car.

13. The combination of a car coupling, a train-pipe-coupler head suspended therefrom, train pipes supported from the rear portion of the car coupling and connected to the train-pipe-coupler head and constructed to accommodate longitudinal and lateral movement of the car coupling, cut-off valves in said pipes, a hanger on the car steps, and operating rods loosely mounted in said hanger and connected with said valves.

14. The combination of train pipes having flexible metallic portions, means for sup porting said flexible portions, cut-0E valves in said pipes, and loosely-mounted levers arranged to move in unison with said pipes and connected with said valves.

15. The combination of train pipes having flexible metallic portions, means for supporting said flexible portions, cut-oft valves in said pipes, loosely-mounted levers ing loosely-supported flexible portions, and

train pipes having laterally disposed portions coupled to the flexible portions of the train lines.

17. The combination of a car coupler, draft rigging to which the car coupler is pivoted, an abutment plate depending from the car coupler and having a rocking ngagement with the draft rigging, a trainpipe-coupler head suspended from the car coupler, and train pipes connected with the train-pipe-coupler head and passing therefrom through the abutment plate.

In testimonv whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER C. WHITE. [L.S.]

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D, O. 

